1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to quick connect devices for engaging multiple female connectors in a bussed electrical center system. A female connector is a plastic housing containing female terminal(s). More specifically, the present invention relates to an under the hood mounted bussed electrical center (UHBEC) and any other electrical distribution boxes employing sequential and aligning engagement of individual pluralities of female terminals, each associating with a specified female connector, with associated and floating female connectors, corresponding to interengaging male connectors containing many male terminals or blades. Male connectors have chamfered front openings to catch and align the floating female connectors. The contact points of female terminals are arranged at different positions inside female connectors. Upwardly facing and chamfered pockets in a tub align male connectors. The electrical center is seated and aligned to the tub before actuating the lever. In this fashion, each sub-plurality of male terminals or blades can be engaged by pivotal actuation of a lever handle associated with more than one male connector, upon which are mounted the male terminals, and the tub associated with the floating female connectors of the UHBEC. The male terminals are protected from damage by any other objects by arranging the terminal tips much lower than the male connector edges and the two middle projections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with various types of electrical coupling devices for engaging a plurality of female terminals, corresponding to a female connector, with a male connector. A male connector is a plastic housing containing male terminals or blades. Such xe2x80x9cbussedxe2x80x9d electrical connector centers are particularly well suited for installation within a vehicle, such as under the hood and under the instrument panel.
One known type of bussed electrical center teaches a bracket to which are mounted the male connectors. Bolts are utilized to drive the bracket down onto a base surface incorporating associated female connectors. The drawbacks associated with this bussed electrical center include tendency of cross threading and over/under torquing the fasteners of the connector bracket, resulting in an incomplete electrical connection and the possibility of damage to the connectors due to significant and uneven forces applied during engagement of male terminals with the female receiving apertures of female terminals. Further, this type of system requires three bolt-driving operations for a three-connector system which adds costs and creates a warranty issues. Additionally, it has been determined that the instantaneous application of an engaging force to a complete plurality of terminals tends to contribute to the damage and/or incomplete connections as indicated above.
An additional example of an electrical coupling device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,087, issued to Koiner et al., and which includes a contact strip firmly secured to the frame of the unit and a corresponding socket strip lodged in a housing. The socket strip housing is fitted to the frame by a pivot pin arranged at one end of the housing and which also includes a slide groove in at least one lateral longitudinal wall. The socket strip housing is pivoted by actuation of a lever, with its contacts locked to the contact strip, and upon displacing a sliding block in the slide groove. It is further worth noting that Koiner discloses only a single female connector having a socket strip, wherein the connector forms a pivoted portion of the assembly and the connector and contact strip do not float.
Another example of a lever engaged connector is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,982, issued to Okabe, and in which a lever is rotatably held between sidewalls of a connector body and inner walls of a hood. The connector includes a pair of lever walls for regulating the bending of the cover members and protrusions which extend from the lever walls on one side. When the connector body is fitted in the hood, the lever walls engage with the hood. Again, It is further worth noting that Okabe discloses only a single female connector and that the connector forms a parallel moving portion of the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,682, issued to Maejima, teaches an electrical connector requiring a low insertion force and including a first connector housing for retaining a first connector element, a second connector housing for retaining a second connector element to be engaged with the first connector element and an operating lever having at least one hook part arranged at an end thereof. The first connector housing has at least one holder for engaging with the hook part to thereby rotatably support the operating lever. The second connector housing includes a sidewall provided with a pin protruding therefrom and the operating lever further includes a slit for slidably engaging with the pin. Additional lever operated connectors are set forth, respectively, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,885, issued to Larsile, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,745, issued to Duclos et al., and illustrating first unlocked and second rotating and lock positions of a lever actuated housing upon a base surface. It is further worth noting that Okabe, Maejima, and Duclos Koiner disclose only that all female and male terminals inside their connectors engage at same time, and therefore, all terminals reach peak engaging force at the same time. The total connector engaging force is much higher than if the peak engaging forces are diversed. The total connector mating force reduction solely relies on the length of the pivotal arm.
The present invention discloses an electrical coupling device, incorporating a lever engagement mechanism, and which enables individual and progressive engagement of a plurality of individual male connectors with their corresponding female connector counterparts. The electrical coupling device of the present invention is further an improvement over the prior art in that it enables specifically aligned, diversed terminal peak engaging forces, and mating connection of the multiple electrical connectors with a significant decrease in mating forces, and which would otherwise damage the interengaging connector terminals and avoids using any bolt systems which cause cross threading, or over or under torquing fasteners.
A tub has a base, first and second sides, a first end and a second end which define an upwardly facing perimeter edge surrounding an open interior. A plurality of first, second and third female connectors are mounted upon the base within the open interior and are arranged in an axially extending and predetermined spaced apart fashion. First, second and third bundles of wires communicating with the first, second, and third connectors, respectively, and extending from selected locations of the tub.
A bussed electrical center has a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second sides, a first end and a second end. The sides and ends of the electrical center defining a downwardly faced perimeter edge and a plurality of first, second, and third male connectors are mounted to the bottom surface and arranged in an axially extending and predetermined spaced apart fashion. A plurality of electrical components extend from the top surface of the electrical center and electrically communicating with the male connectors.
Arcuately shaped recesses are defined within and along the first end of the tub, corresponding with the upwardly facing perimeter edge. The bussed electrical center further includes a projecting and laterally extending pin along the first end which seats within the arcuate recess to pivotally associate the bussed electrical center with the tub. A lever pivotally engages the tub proximate the second end and the upwardly facing perimeter edge. Engagement projections extend in inwardly and opposing fashion on opposite sides of interconnecting legs of the lever and seat within aligning and engaging grooves defined in the downwardly facing perimeter edge of the electrical center. The bussed electrical center includes two arcuately shaped bumps near the extending pin corresponding to two small pockets near arcuately shaped recesses along first end of the tub. The bussed electrical center is aligned to the tub by properly mating the extending pin to the arcuately shaped recesses, the two bumps to the two small pockets, and the lever engagement projections to engaging grooves. The lever is rotated from a first disengaged position, over and across the top surface of the electrical center, and to a second and electrically engaged position proximate the first ends of both the tub and electrical center.
In this fashion, each of the male connectors are drawn, upon the actuation of said lever and the resulting downward pivoting of the electrical center, in successive and engaging electrical contact against said female connectors. To further facilitate accurate and aligning engagement of the connectors, the female connectors are further seated, in floating fashion, within individual and axially extending pockets defined within the tub interior. The successive sequence of mating male and female terminals diverses the terminal peak engaging forces. Further more, six rows of female terminals parallel with the side of the tub are seated inside female connectors. The vertical positions of the contact point in the middle two rows terminals are different (about 1.00 mm) from the outside four rows. Terminals inside the two rows reach their peak engaging force at different times than the outside four row terminals. Combining mating sequence and different vertical positions of terminal contact points, the diversion of peak engaging forces is maximized, which reduces the overall mating force. Upwardly facing and chamfered edges of the pockets aligningly engage with associated and likewise projecting edges surrounding each of the male connectors. Downwardly facing and chamfered inner projection edges of male connectors catch and align the female connectors. Combined with the floating range of realignment permitted of the female connectors, these edges prevent inadvertent damage to the connector portions, male terminals, and female terminals during the mating engagement. The floating and alignment features make it possible to accept multiple independent connectors with varying manufacturing process tolerance requirements because of the de-coupling of the dependency of the three connectors.
Other features include the male terminal protection from accidentally scooping or impacting other objects.
Additional features include the provision of a cover that is hingedly secured to a selected end of the bussed electrical center and over and across which the lever may be actuated without contacting the cover. Also, a stamping mount bracket is configured to being secured to a desired location in the vehicle engine compartment, such as a fender shroud, and includes posts which seat within corresponding vertical slots formed in the tub sides to secure the device in place.